Another big Question

my friend luke norsworthy asked in his blog "why are you a Christian today?" Luke answered by saying,

"The reason I am a Christian today is that I know Jesus does life right. Jesus embodied what people are intended to be and when I follow him I am being what I am called to be as a person. So today I remind myself that I am still following Christ because Jesus is the way."

i really like his answer, but at the same time i struggle with a perception i grew up perceiving.

to be clear, i do not put Luke into this category. i have just seen other people in my experience say things like this and be complacent in their actions/attitudes/lives.

i'm turned off by seeing believers appear to act right, while having a wrong focus or motivation...

i'm turned off by believers not maturing, not being changed, not loving like Jesus...

so what if you were wronged, so what if someone believes something differently-with grace we should forgive in the same way we expect to be forgiven...

will they know we are christians by our love? or by our judgmental actions and attitudes... what are we doing to the name of Christ, to his bride the church?

right now you are probably thinking "wow, where is he going, how did he get here, what time of night did he write this?"

and here is my answer, if one doesn't act like Christ, or have the mind of Christ, if the things that are the very most important to Christ, are not important... can that person truly claim the name of Christ? is that person really following Christ, or is that person lying to himself?

Have i died to the world? i say i believe that Jesus is the way, but does my every decision/thought/action reflect that belief?

where is my time spent?

where is my money spent?

am i truly any different than other nice people with good intentions that don't claim the name of Jesus? are you?

Luke started with the question, why are you a christian today, but sometimes i feel i have to ask...

am i really a christian today? are you?

(on a side note check out this lesson on holiness from Francis Chan-listen or watch... i can't get the following thought out of my head-you can't sing "Lord save us" on Sunday, when all week your actions are shouting "crucify him")